Dr. Joseph L. Alcorn

Regular Member

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Medical School
Department of Pediatrics

Research Interests:

• Hormonal, developmental, and cell-specific regulation of pulmonary surfactant proteins
• Transcriptional regulation of surfactant protein C (SP-C) by steroid hormones
• Post-transcriptional regulation of surfactant protein B (SP-B) mRNA

The research in my laboratory is directed at understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in regulation of pulmonary surfactant protein gene expression by hormones. To reach this goal, I use two aspects of surfactant protein gene regulation by glucocorticoids as models. I am interested in molecular mechanisms by which glucocorticoids increase surfactant protein B (SP-B) mRNA stability. I am also interested in the molecular mechanisms by which glucocorticoids increase transcription of the surfactant protein C (SP-C) gene.

A tutorial in my laboratory will provide experience in all methods of molecular biology, in mRNA manipulation and analysis, and in the study of eucaryotic promoters. The student would also gain knowledge of cell culture techniques, of the culture of primary cells, and in techniques used to make recombinant replication-defective adenoviruses.

Selected Publications:

Alcorn JL, Hammer RE, Graves KR, Smith ME, Maika SD, Michael LF, Gao E, Wang Y, Mendelson CR (1999) Analysis of genomic regions involved in regulation of the rabbit surfactant protein A gene in transgenic mice. Am J Physiol 277:L349-361.

Alcorn JL, Smith ME, Smith JF, Margraf LR, Mendelson CR (1997) Primary cell culture of human type II pneumonocytes: maintenance of a differentiated phenotype and transfection with recombinant adenoviruses. Am J Resp Cell Mol Biol 17:672-682.

Alcorn JL, Gao E, Chen Q, Smith ME, Gerard RD, Mendelson CR (1993) Genomic elements involved in transcriptional regulation of the rabbit surfactant protein-A gene. Mol Endo 8:1072- 1085.

Additional Publications

Program Affiliations:

Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Program in Cell and Regulatory Biology